Meaning Of Dutch PM Mark Rutte's Request, Indonesia Studies Historical Documents Of The War Of Independence

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. (Photo: Doc. Antara/Reuters)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is studying the research documents on the history of the Indonesian war of independence to correctly interpret the apology delivered by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

"We are studying the document to interpret the statement delivered by PM Rutte", said the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, as quoted by Antara on Saturday, February 19. He said that the Indonesian government was following closely the publication of historical research results "Independence, Decolonization, Violence and War in Indonesia 1945-1950".

The study was conducted by three Dutch research institutions such as KITLV, NIMH, and NIOD, as well as several Indonesian researchers.

Previously, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, on Thursday 17 February, apologized to Indonesia for the use of force by the Dutch military during the 1945-1949 War of Independence.

Rutte made the apology at a press conference in Brussels, the Belgian capital.

Rutte said his government acknowledged all of the findings from a very important historical review.

According to the study, the Netherlands carried out systematic, transgressive, and unethical violence in its attempt to regain control of post-World War II Indonesia, its former colony.